Home
Links
Sponsors
E-Mail Peter Z
Do It Yourself
Projects
Do's and Don'ts
Information
Intro-Quarantine
Feeding Invert's
Fish Foods
Food Kinds
Disease
Disease Chart
Additives
Anemones
Coral ID
Lamps & Lights
Micro Algae
Reef Notes
Tips & Tricks
Trouble Shooting
They Live Here
Pictures
Fishy Pictures
Member's Reefs
My Reef Tank
Revised June 1 2008
|
|
|
| Mode of Contamination |
|
|
Introduction of new saltwater either as initial fill or as water changes. |
Natural saltwater should be treated [dark storage for two weeks] to prevent introduction of protozoan parasites. Synthetic seawater is safer, but be sure containers and hoses are rinsed with freshwater if they have recently held saltwater from another source. |
| Introduction of active filter media when seeding a new tank. | The only precaution here is to know and trust your source. |
| Introduction of new fish and invertebrates. | Quarantine is the answer. |
| Introduction of "live rock". | "Live rock" covered with attached invertebrates and algae can add much natural beauty and interest to a marine tank, but, depending on the source, they can introduce protozoan parasites. Quarantine for a week or so in a fish free tank is good insurance. |
| Fish and invertebrate food. | Every day food goes into your tank, and if you do a good job as an aquarist, the food is varied and from both plant and animal sources. Generally, any food that has been processed [freezing, cooking, drying, freeze drying, canned, etc.] is free of parasite problems. The greatest danger comes from live foods [brine shrimp, plankton, live minnows, worms, etc.] and dead unprocessed foods [shrimp, fish flesh, and algae] are next in line. The answer is to be careful, but not paranoid. Know and trust your sources as well as possible. Don't introduce water that live foods are packed with, and rinse natural foods as well. |
| Introduction and transfer of coral, rocks, or other decorations. | Make sure all coral or rock not intended to be alive is properly processed. Rinse and scrub well any transfers from possibly contaminated sources. |
| Introductions through nets, siphon hoses, and cleaning apparatus. | It's easy to pick up a net, remove a dead fish from one tank, put the net down, then pick it up a few minutes later and use it in another tank. Get in the habit of rinsing all nets and cleaning materials in freshwater after each use and storing them in a dry place. Not only will they last longer, but possible parasite transfer will be prevented. |
| Introduction from air borne spray or splash over. | Aquariums set up close to one another, or over and under each other, have the potential for spreading problems through drip and spray. Isolate the tanks as well as possible by space and covers, and in the unfortunate instance that a tank develops a parasite problem, prevent any spray, or drip. |
| Introduction through casual or accidental means. | Good covers on tanks are important for abvious reasons. They keep little fingers out. The better your control over the tank environment, the less problems you'll have with accidents. |
Copyright © Peter Z and The Fishline. All Rights Reserved.
Revised March 14 2002